Certificate vs. Certification in ISO 26262 Training: What You Need to Know
This article provides an in-depth look at topics related to Functional Safety.
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Certificate or Certification: Why the Fuss?
At first glance, certificate and certification look—and even sound—nearly identical. Before the age of “just Google it,” we’d reach for that hefty dictionary on the shelf. Mine’s still there, gathering a little dust, but still loyal. According to Webster:
- Certificate: a document containing a certified statement, especially as to the truth of something
- Certification: the act of certifying; the state of being certified
So far, still very similar. You might be thinking, “This blog’s headed nowhere fast.” But stick with me.
After 15 years of delivering ISO 26262 training, I’ve spent more hours than I care to count untangling this very distinction—with Accrediting Bodies (ABs), Certification Bodies (CBs), and plenty of passionate professionals who insist the difference matters.
What Does ISO 26262 Actually Say?
Before we chase too many rabbit holes, let’s look at what ISO 26262 itself says on the matter. Surprisingly, there’s only one direct requirement—and it’s found in Part 2, Clause 5.4.4.1:
The organization shall ensure that the persons involved in the execution of the safety lifecycle have a sufficient level of skills, competence and qualification corresponding to their responsibilities.
Training is only mentioned in a note:
One of the possible means to achieve a sufficient level of skills and competence is a training and qualification programme…
That’s it. No mention of certificates. No mention of certifications. In fact, if you scan all 12 parts of the ISO 26262 Second Edition (2018)—a total of 690 pages—you’ll find that the words certificate and certification appear exactly zero times.
Interestingly, ISO 26262 does offer a subtle clue—right at the end of Clause 5.4.4.1. It references guidance from the United Kingdom Health and Safety Executive (HSE) titled Managing competence for safety-related systems. In Section 5.3, the HSE states:
The presence of competence certificates or qualifications should not be used as an alternative to assessment within your organisation. Rather, they are a source of evidence that can reduce the effort required for your assessment.
In other words, certificates and qualifications may support your internal assessment—but they don’t replace it. Competence must be demonstrated, not just documented.
Once again, we see no requirement for a certificate or a certification. Just a clear reminder: competence is contextual, and assessment is organizational. Even if someone holds a certificate or certification, ISO 26262 puts the onus on the organization to assess whether that person is fit for their assigned responsibilities within the safety lifecycle.
Let’s Get to the Point
Okay, I’ve run a few circles—now let’s get back to the original question.
To formally use the term certification in a training program, the issuing body must claim conformity to ISO/IEC 17024, Conformity assessment — General requirements for bodies operating certification of persons.
In theory, a self-declaration of conformity could be made. But that path comes with challenges. Without independent, third-party validation, a self-declared certification lacks the credibility, recognition, and weight that stakeholders—especially in safety-critical industries—expect.
For certification bodies aiming to build trust and offer credentials that hold up under scrutiny, accreditation remains the gold standard. ISO/IEC 17024 even hints at this in Clause 10.2.5.2, referencing:
…results of internal and external audits (e.g. accreditation body assessment);
It’s subtle, but clear: external validation matters.
On the other hand, any organization can issue a document and call it a certificate. That’s why—even outside of functional safety—we see a wide array of certificates: from a one-hour webinar attendance to a multi-day training course completion. A certificate can be issued without any compliance with ISO/IEC 17024.
If you’ve taken an ISO 26262 training with an exam, take a look: does your document say certificate or certification? My guess is it says certificate. If it says certification, I’d highly recommend requesting evidence of accreditation to their personnel certification program.
Is a Certificate Less Credible than Certification?
Not necessarily.
Many Certification Bodies that issue training certificates—rather than formal certifications—still follow the intent of ISO/IEC 17024. In fact, many are accredited to ISO/IEC 17065 in functional safety, which covers the certification of products and processes to ISO 26262.
So why isn’t ISO/IEC 17024 accreditation more common in automotive functional safety training programs? A few reasons:
- It’s not required by ISO 26262.
- It’s resource-intensive. Full compliance and external accreditation require time, money, and administrative rigor.
- It limits program structure. Strict adherence to ISO/IEC 17024 means training and certification must be organizationally separate to avoid conflicts of interest and ensure impartiality. In other words, the trainer can’t also be the examiner.
The Real Question to Ask
Where will I get the best training and preparation to apply ISO 26262 in practice? Where will I learn the most?
Ultimately, your organization is responsible for assessing the competency of those involved in the safety lifecycle.
At SRES, our instructors are long-time practitioners who have developed, assessed, and audited real safety-critical systems. We’ve trained thousands of engineers worldwide, always with the goal of helping teams take practical next steps with ISO 26262—not just pass an exam.
We believe certificates (and certifications) have their place. But lasting value comes from training that builds real competency. That’s the experience we strive to deliver.
Have insights or questions? Leave a comment below—we welcome thoughtful discussion from our technical community.
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Thank you Jody. Reading this made my day.